A-Rod: Mr. Overated

[NJTank]

Just thought I bring this onme to evryones attention see what everyone thinks as I take on the failures of perhaps the most overrated player in the last 5 years.

http://sportsecyclopedia.com/blog.html

Comments?

[Tazz013]

That basically sums up the way I've felt about him since 1997. He's better than most players in the league, but he is not one of the "greatest players in MLB history" or even one of the "greatest players in MLB today". The day he signed with the Texas Rangers, I knew there would never be a player more over-rated or over-paid than Alex Rodriguez.

You hit the nail on the head; he doesn't know how to win games or come through in pressure situations. I don't think it's because he doesn't try, he just doesn't know how. There are reasons he has big games, but any "good" player will have one if the opposing pitcher(s) are doing terribly.

[fonz]

He's wayyyyyyyyyyy overpaid!!!

[jkrdevil]

I wouldn't say that the A-Rod trade was the thing that undid the Yankees Dynasty. That was over by that point the team was completely different from the team that went to 4 straight World Series winning the first 3. In fact the 2002 team was completely different. If one can point to 1 signing or trade that spelled the end of the dynasty and the turning point to where the team went from a World Champion every year to just another playoff team would be the Giambi signing because that changed the attitude of the organization.

That said it's been 6 years since they last won it's nothing to panic over. Also I think you are writing this team off early. I think any team (except for the Rays and Orioles) can win the AL East. Boston hasn't impressed me.

I don't think A-Rod doesn't know how to win. With the Mariners the problem was relief pitching. With the Rangers the problem was A-Rods huge contract (so he was part of the problem) handicapped the team from making moves. He has had a problem adjusting to New York and he has been awful the past 2 postseason and his 3rd base has actually gotten worse. That said I don't think they should trade him because it would be nothing but a downgrade. He certainly is better than Aaron Boone who absolutely sucked outside of 1 at bat.

[Brass]

The thing that undid the Yankees dynasty, was the retirement of players who actually played like a team!

[nyk]

I dont think he is overreated, i think he's one of those people who cant handle the pressure of playin in NY.

[DEAD!]

I can't really say that A-Rod is over-rated. Overpaid, yes. Is A-Rod great in the clutch? Maybe not, but winning and losing is about the team's effort. If A-Rod has to be forced to be in a clutch situation, who's to say that the team just didn't produce enough runs to begin with.

For example, A-Rod hits a home run when they are trailing by 6 runs, the media says sarcastically "Yeah good for you..." I would say, yeah, but what about the rest of the team? What about the pitching? Aren't they supposed to do their job as well?

A-Rod still has the numbers to prove that he's a great player. His contract is just an indication of what the owner is willing to spend on the player. Tell me you wouldn't take a $252 million contract if you were A-Rod.

[winghaz]

Yeah, A-Rod is overrated. So was Ted Williams. And Stan Musial. And Willie Mays. Etc., etc.

[HeartLockArt]

A-rod is not overated just because he went to the yankees you all say he is overated now. If any one gos to the yankees everone say the are overated. God just becasue the Yankees have more money you all hate the players. so when the other teams get 26 world series titles come talk to the yankees but till then stay off the yankees and the players back.

[Starchild]

I don't think A-Rod is overrated... his talent is unquestionable. The guy is just plain good.

The problem with A-Rod, I feel, is that he's just not cut out for a big market atmosphere like the Yankees. Some guys can take the pressure and scrutiny in NY, some can't - it doesn't make them poor players, it just means they're not cut out for the big bright lights of the city.

Derek Jeter had one advantage A-Rod didn't, and that's the fact that he came up as a Yankee - there was no "greatest player in history" hype surrounding Jeter. He came up, played his ass off, handled himself well, handled the media equally as well and just became the perfect representative for the Yankees and New York.

A-Rod, on the other hand, had the hype surrounding him and his personality just doesn't fit with NYC.... he's a low key guy, and if he doesn't perform up to expectations, he's going to get murdered in the press and by fans (as ANY athlete in NY would), but he just doesn't have it in him like Jeter does to put it aside and perform so that they cheer. Also in his defense, even if A-Rod performs up to expectations, it'll never be good enough for anyone. Jeter came up in the system, and won early on, so there's no argument against him. If A-Rod suddenly explodes and the team wins the World Series this year, people will still complain about the previous years in that if A-Rod performed in such a way the Yanks wouldve won additional titles. It's not a good situation for A-Rod nor the Yankees.... the Yankees can win a game, but A-Rod has a throwing error and the error will be the top story and a 30 min segment on Baseball Tonight. A change of scenery would help A-Rod get back to being overpaid but immensely productive without all the glitz and glammour of NY, and the Yankees can reclaim the newspaper headlines as a team (and hopefully get something worthwhile from another team in the process).

[Jigga]

Comments?

Yeah, I got a comment. My comment is that you are on crack if you think Alex Rodriguez is overrated! How in the hell can an all-time great be overrated? He was Albert Pujols before there was Albert Pujols. He's won two MVP awards, is the fastest player to reach 250, 300, 350, 400, and 450 home runs. He's got 2000 hits at age 30 years, 360 days. He's won gold gloves at two positions. He's a career .306 hitter. He's one of only 3 40/40 players ever. Hell he's stolen 250 bases. He's a bigger, stronger, faster, and better version of Cal Ripken (I'm an Orioles fan and saw Ripken play for almost 20 years.)

What more do you want the guy to do?

[no97]

Comments?

Yeah, I got a comment. My comment is that you are on crack if you think Alex Rodriguez is overrated! How in the hell can an all-time great be overrated? He was Albert Pujols before there was Albert Pujols. He's won two MVP awards, is the fastest player to reach 250, 300, 350, 400, and 450 home runs. He's got 2000 hits at age 30 years, 360 days. He's won gold gloves at two positions. He's a career .306 hitter. He's one of only 3 40/40 players ever. Hell he's stolen 250 bases. He's a bigger, stronger, faster, and better version of Cal Ripken (I'm an Orioles fan and saw Ripken play for almost 20 years.)

What more do you want the guy to do?

I agree with this completely.

One thing I like about Baseball-Reference.com is their age-based comparasons... Check out A-Rod's comparason (through last year).

Personally, I'd take him on my team...

Moose

[Brass]

What more do you want the guy to do?

Win a championship

[CC97]

A-rod is not overated just because he went to the yankees you all say he is overated now. If any one gos to the yankees everone say the are overated. God just becasue the Yankees have more money you all hate the players. so when the other teams get 26 world series titles come talk to the yankees but till then stay off the yankees and the players back.

You make a valid argument and you backed it up with very relevant points.

[NDwas]

Comments?

Yeah, I got a comment. My comment is that you are on crack if you think Alex Rodriguez is overrated! How in the hell can an all-time great be overrated? He was Albert Pujols before there was Albert Pujols. He's won two MVP awards, is the fastest player to reach 250, 300, 350, 400, and 450 home runs. He's got 2000 hits at age 30 years, 360 days. He's won gold gloves at two positions. He's a career .306 hitter. He's one of only 3 40/40 players ever. Hell he's stolen 250 bases. He's a bigger, stronger, faster, and better version of Cal Ripken (I'm an Orioles fan and saw Ripken play for almost 20 years.)

What more do you want the guy to do?

I agree with this completely.

One thing I like about Baseball-Reference.com is their age-based comparisons... Check out A-Rod's comparison (through last year).

Personally, I'd take him on my team...

Moose

That's unbelievable.

At age 29, he has more homers than Hank Aaron, Jimmie Foxx, Rogers Hornsby, Al Kaline, Mickey Mantle, Eddie Mathews, Mel Ott, and Frank Robinson. ALL Hall of Famers. And he's only 29.

[NDwas]

What more do you want the guy to do?

Win a championship

Well, you can't win without pitching. And the Yankees don't have pitching.

But because the Red Sox haven't taken advantage of that, the Yankees are still in the race.

[Fred T. Jane]

And the Yankees don't have pitching.

But because the Red Sox haven't taken advantage of that, the Yankees are still in the race.

You've hit on something there, namely the inability of a position player to carry a team to a championship in baseball. When was the last time that a position player (not a pitcher) carried his team on his back to a title? From here, the last time someone came close was in 2002 when some guy named Barry Bonds had the Giants in a position to win the World Series...only to have it undone by a bad bullpen.

Anyway, the whole "win a title" nonsense is a red herring in baseball because of the necessity for team play. Is Carlton Fisk, Ted Williams, or Ernie Banks less of a legend because they won a title? Or is Craig Counsell better than them because he has two World Series rings as a result of his running (scored the winning run in 1997) and batting (drove in the winning run in 2001) abilities?

[NDwas]

Or is Craig Counsell better than them because he has two World Series rings as a result of his running (scored the winning run in 1997) and batting (drove in the winning run in 2001) abilities?

That was Luis Gonzalez. But you hit the nail on the head there. Thank you.

[epper]

A-rod is not overated just because he went to the yankees you all say he is overated now. If any one gos to the yankees everone say the are overated. God just becasue the Yankees have more money you all hate the players. so when the other teams get 26 world series titles come talk to the yankees but till then stay off the yankees and the players back.

You make a valid argument and you backed it up with very relevant points.

pwned.

anyways, E-Rod is not overrated. that's one of the stupidest things ive read on these forums in quite a while. Sure he hasnt won a title, but that doesnt make him overrated. dan marino never won a SB, but he's not overrated.

i think thats actually a good comparison, rodriguez and marino. a pretty boy who has all the pressure in the world on him, and puts up phenomenal stats, yet can't win the big game.

overpaid, yes. overrated, no. and this is coming from one of the biggest haters of him you'll meet.

[Tazz013]

dan marino never won a SB, but he's not overrated.

Marino isn't over-rated, because people rate him lower because he never won a championship. Marino is always rated as the 10-15th best QB in the NFL; alEx rodriguEz is constantly referred to as the "one of the two greatest players in the game today" and "one of the ten best players in MLB history".